Brazilian children's conceptions of peace, war, and violence.

Abstract

This study investigates the understanding of peace, war, and violence of children in southern Brazil. Sixty-one younger children (30 boys and 31 girls; M age 7.6; SD =. 82) and 63 older children (29 boys and 34 girls; M age 12.7; SD =. 72) responded to an interview about either peace and violence or war and violence. The two interviews were equally distributed among participants according to age and sex. Data were examined for age and gender differences through content analysis and chi-square tests. In their responses, younger children accentuated concrete aspects of violence, such as weapons, while older children emphasized humane attitudes. Older boys highlighted conflicting interests; older girls emphasized a sense of human well-being. Results of this study are compared to those of similar international studies and the implications for peace education are discussed in the context of modern Brazilian culture and global trends.